The new program combines a 12-month USDC principal-return structure with tiered AIA rewards of up to 50%, alongside a new AIA/KRW trading market on Bithumb.
On October 8, 2026, DeAgentAI’s native token AIA went live on Bithumb’s KRW market, opening a new AIA/KRW trading pair for Korean users. On the same day, DeAgentAI introduced a new principal-protected staking program built around three 12-month pools — Ultra, Boost and Fast — combining a USDC principal-return structure with AIA-denominated rewards distributed over time.
The initial program capacity is 500,000 USDC, with a minimum participation amount of 350 USDC per position. The Ultra pool offers the highest total reward, equal to 50% of the amount of AIA staked over the 12-month cycle. Importantly, the 50% figure refers to additional AIA token rewards, not a fixed 50% return in USDC.
AIA Gains a New KRW Trading Market
With AIA/KRW now available on Bithumb, AIA has gained a direct Korean won trading market. The listing and the staking program are separate developments: AIA trading takes place on Bithumb, while participation in the staking program is handled through DeAgentAI’s official staking interface, with different asset requirements and workflows.
USDC In, AIA Rewards Out — With Principal Returned at Maturity
The staking program does not work like a conventional “deposit your existing token” product. Participants enter with USDC. After a pool and amount are selected, the system buys AIA at the live PancakeSwap market price and stakes it in the same transaction. Existing AIA holdings cannot be deposited directly into this program.
Under the published terms, once a position reaches its 12-month maturity, the platform returns an amount of USDC equal to the participant’s original payment to the wallet that created the position. The AIA originally purchased and staked is not returned separately at maturity; instead, participants receive additional AIA rewards during the staking period.
What “principal-protected” means here: the product terms provide for the return of an equivalent amount of USDC at maturity. It should not be interpreted as a risk-free guarantee. Smart-contract, counterparty and settlement risks remain, while the market value of AIA rewards can fluctuate with the token price.
Three Pools, One-Year Lock, Different Reward Timelines
Ultra, Boost and Fast all use the same 12-month lock period and do not allow early withdrawal. The key difference is the total AIA reward allocation and when those rewards begin to be distributed.
For example, if a position contains 1,000 AIA, the total AIA reward would be 500 AIA in Ultra, 400 AIA in Boost, or 350 AIA in Fast. This example illustrates token quantity only and does not represent a guaranteed USD value.
Rewards are distributed automatically according to each pool’s schedule, with no manual claim required. Fast starts paying rewards earlier, but the USDC principal-return date does not change: it remains 12 months after the position is opened.
How Participation Works
Participants need USDC on BNB Chain (BEP-20), plus a small amount of BNB for network fees. On first use, the wallet approves USDC and then confirms the buy-and-stake transaction. A position is considered successfully opened only after the on-chain transaction is confirmed and the position appears on the staking page.
The same wallet may open multiple positions, with each transaction recorded independently. Each position must meet the 350 USDC minimum and cannot exceed the remaining capacity shown on the page. The announced 500,000 USDC capacity is limited, so live availability should always be checked on the official interface.
The wallet used to open a position is also the wallet that receives AIA rewards and the USDC returned at maturity, and it cannot be changed later. Users should therefore participate from a wallet they control directly rather than an exchange deposit address.
Expanding How Users Participate in the AIA Ecosystem
According to DeAgentAI’s project materials, its Smart Router provides a unified gateway for accessing multiple AI models and supports the use of AIA in AI-service payments. The new staking program adds another layer of participation by giving users a 12-month route into the AIA ecosystem alongside those existing product utilities.
Taken together, the Bithumb listing and the staking launch address two different parts of the ecosystem: one expands market access through a KRW trading pair, while the other introduces a new participation mechanism around AIA. For users evaluating the program, the most important reference points remain the exchange announcement, the staking terms, the reward calculation and the maturity-return mechanics.
Full rules and live availability: https://stake.deagent.ai/